Minimizing Environmental Impact Is For The Trees

Shaklee Corporation has a remarkable relationship with the environment. And has led the way in corporate sustainability (and responsibility). Read more about that here.

Possibly even more incredible is the fact that thousands of Shaklee Independent Distributors have also contributed to this commitment in small but impactful ways throughout the decades as well.

(We ourselves donate Shaklee’s Get Clean products to 2 different non-profit organizations for homeless people and homeless pets to cut down on toxic, chemical cleaner waste/use and regularly support the Arbor Day Foundation in planting trees.)

Well, today is Arbor Day! To celebrate, plant a tree and check out this great story and example of how these kinds of partnerships all add up…

“The Appalachian Mountain Club and Shaklee: A Decades-Long Partnership to Protect the Environment

By Dr. Bruce Daggy

Atop the White Mountains of New Hampshire, the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) maintains and operates eight huts for hikers along the Appalachian Trail. The huts are spaced a day’s hike apart, many located on some of the highest and toughest terrain along the trail.

I recently learned more about the high huts from AMC’s Director of Media and Public Affairs, Rob Burbank. Rob explained that AMC, founded in 1876, is committed to operating in an environmentally responsible manner. These huts are off the grid, far from power lines, but each needs power for lighting, communication, and other functions—so the huts have photovoltaic solar panels, and some have wind generators. One even has a small hydro system. To reduce demand for water, the huts also have composting toilets.

Each hut has a crew who welcome the hikers, cook, clean, and use the opportunity to educate via “green tours” that inform their guests about sustainable features of the huts that they could adopt at home. The huts have been awarded the top recognition of Environmental Champion status by the New Hampshire Sustainable Lodging & Restaurant Program.

Cleaning with Minimal Environmental Impact:

AMC carefully considered the choice of cleaning products for the huts. Performance, weight (an important consideration for items that must be backpacked or helicoptered in), environmental safety, and packaging waste were all factored in. The ideal product needed to clean effectively, be super-concentrated, biodegradable, and leave as little packaging as possible to be backpacked out.

In a relationship that began in 1992, when Shaklee distributor Geoff Lamdin reached out to then Storehouse Manager Laura Capelle, AMC has since chosen several Shaklee cleaning products for the high huts. The main products used today are Basic H2® and Scour Off, and this year AMC is evaluating Hand Dish Wash. “It’s important to us that our practices and systems, and the products we purchase, reflect AMC’s Green Promise of environmental sustainability,” Rob says.

Geoff, who was introduced to AMC and the hut system as a child, told me, “There is great satisfaction in giving back to AMC in this way. They were important to my family, now we get to actively help them meet the highest environmental standards to protect this incredible and beautiful landscape.”

Geoff’s outreach to AMC is a beautiful example of how each of us can have a positive and lasting impact on the environment.